North Qld on Asian honey bee alert

Biosecurity officers have renewed their calls for residents to report any sightings of Asian honey bees in north Queensland.

The Agriculture Department has delivered information pamphlets to residents and businesses around the Townsville Port after a number of Asian honey bees were found on a ship from Papua New Guinea last month.

The bees attack native species and were first detected in Cairns in 2007.

"They will live in the cavities of buildings, they also will live in cavities in trees," he said.

"They are like most bees. They will adapt to their environment."

He says residents can help prevent the spread.

"The quarantine officers carry out very regular surveillance in the port area and there has been no further detection of any vessels carrying Asian honey bees, and as I said this is a precautionary surveillance to just make sure the whole of the area is clear," he said.